Android's lifetime earnings dwarfed by iPhone's quarterly income

Though Android-based smartphones have outgrown its rival Apple's iPhones in sales volume, Android's lifetime earnings are miniscule. What Google earned so far in seven years is less than what Apple earned in a quarter in 2015, according to numbers inadvertently leaked in an ongoing lawsuit.

Google's mobile platform generated $31bn (€28.6bn, £27.7bn) in revenue since its inception in September 2008, according to an Oracle lawyer. On the other hand, Apple's global revenue was $234bn (€216bn, £168bn) in the quarter ended September 2015.

The comparison may not be a direct one since Apple earns revenue from hardware through sales of its iPhones, iPads, Macs and other products. Google's Android earnings come only from advertisements on hosted applications and from publishers.

The data was provided by Google to lawyers and was not intended for public release. But an Oracle lawyer, Annette Hurst, revealed it to a federal magistrate during a hearing, according to Bloomberg, which first reported the story. Google does not ordinarily share details of revenue within its product categories. Minutes of the hearing were later taken down from online records after Google appealed to the judge to "redact and seal the transcript" making it available for the "attorney's eyes only."

Oracle had sued Google in 2010 alleging improper use of its propriety product, Java, in the development of Android. Oracle is reportedly seeking $1bn (€923mn, £702mn) in compensation.